Earth scientist Thanushika Gunatilake receives a Veni grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO). She will investigate the influence of internal heat generation on seismic activity.
Gunatilake will investigate how frictional heating along fault zones can drive the release of trapped fluids through thermal dehydration and explore its impact on Earth's internal processes and the initiation of earthquakes. This process is considered key to advancing the forecasting of natural and human-induced seismicity. The research seeks to quantify the conditions for thermal dehydration, the volume of high-pressure fluid generated, and its contribution to seismic events.
Laboratory experiments
This project is not only crucial for understanding natural earthquakes, but also for safely deploying green energy technologies like Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and geothermal energy.
Gunatilake will develop an advanced thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) numerical model to simulate the complex interactions between heat, fluid generation, fluid migration, and seismicity. She will also conduct laboratory experiments in collaboration with the University of Liverpool and the University of Padua to calibrate and validate the model. In these experiments, Gunatilake and her colleagues will measure heat production and fluid generation from volatile-rich rock samples under earthquake-relevant conditions.
Earthquake forecasting
The research is expected to gain significant insights into the initiation, duration, and migration of earthquake sequences by providing a more realistic representation of subsurface fluid dynamics. This will lead to improved time-dependent earthquake forecasting in various tectonic settings, including volcanic system and subduction zones. Furthermore, the findings will contribute to improving seismic risk assessment in CCS and Geothermal Energy, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.
Gunatilake obtained her PhD at the University of Neuchâtel. After a postdoc at ETH Zürich, she became assistant professor of Sustainable Geoscience of the Subsurface in the Geodynamics and Tectonics research group at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in September 2024.
Veni
The NWO Veni grant, of up to 320.000 euros, is awarded to excellent researchers who have recently obtained their PhD, to conduct independent research and develop their ideas for a period of three years. Laureates are at the start of their scientific career and display a striking talent for scientific research.